Author: Linda Castillo
Series: Kate Burkholder #
Publisher: Minotaur
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Format: Audiobook ALC and Kindle ARC
Narrator: Kathleen MacInerney
Length: 9 hrs 17 mins
No. of Pages: 320
Date of Publication: July 8, 2025
My Rating: 5 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
In this gripping new installment of the Edgar Award winning series, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder investigates a brutal double murder that takes her into the dark underbelly of society and exposes the dangers of Amish lives gone wrong.
Summer has arrived with a vengeance in Painters Mill, and a macabre discovery by three Amish children brings the quiet to a grinding halt. Chief of Police Kate Burkholder arrives on scene to find the dismembered body of 21-year-old Samuel Eicher, a local Amish man who owned a successful landscaping business. What twisted individual murdered him in such a sadistic way?
The investigation has barely begun when, miles away, a second body is found, stuffed into a barrel and dumped in a ravine. The deceased is 21-year-old Aaron Shetler, Samuel Eicher’s best friend. What could these two young Amish men have done to deserve such violent ends?
With a heat wave bearing down, Kate learns quickly that, for reasons she doesn’t understand, no one is willing to talk about what happened to the men. Just as she begins to fear the case may be hopeless, a mystery woman comes forward and reveals that fun-loving Aaron and Samuel had recently befriended some very unsavory characters―individuals who may have ties to a larger, more sinister, black market.
To solve the case, Kate must delve into the most sordid corners of her community, but when she gets too close, the killers target Kate herself. Will the secrets simmering beneath the surface of Painters Mill take another life before she can expose the truth? Or will Kate be the final victim?
Summer has arrived with a vengeance in Painters Mill, and a macabre discovery by three Amish children brings the quiet to a grinding halt. Chief of Police Kate Burkholder arrives on scene to find the dismembered body of 21-year-old Samuel Eicher, a local Amish man who owned a successful landscaping business. What twisted individual murdered him in such a sadistic way?
The investigation has barely begun when, miles away, a second body is found, stuffed into a barrel and dumped in a ravine. The deceased is 21-year-old Aaron Shetler, Samuel Eicher’s best friend. What could these two young Amish men have done to deserve such violent ends?
With a heat wave bearing down, Kate learns quickly that, for reasons she doesn’t understand, no one is willing to talk about what happened to the men. Just as she begins to fear the case may be hopeless, a mystery woman comes forward and reveals that fun-loving Aaron and Samuel had recently befriended some very unsavory characters―individuals who may have ties to a larger, more sinister, black market.
To solve the case, Kate must delve into the most sordid corners of her community, but when she gets too close, the killers target Kate herself. Will the secrets simmering beneath the surface of Painters Mill take another life before she can expose the truth? Or will Kate be the final victim?
MY THOUGHTS:
Seventeen books in! Wow! What a compelling series. Yes, this 17th book rates as high as every single book in the series, including the novellas. This gritty installment hits hard as Kate is dealing with multiple murders, and calling upon her husband John Tomasetti yet again for his expertise still makes things difficult.
Another gruesome crime scene shows evidence of a brutal murder, and it is just the start of another faced-paced story in the amazingly successful series. The series has gained movies, and is also an Edgar Award winning series. Kate is a hard-working chief of police that has a background as former Amish, and over the years has slowly been regaining the trust of the community. Pushing her way in yet again presents its challenges, but she must get to the bottom of the latest murder.
Kate has faced danger before, many times. This time around it is no different. In fact, the killer’s target just might have changed, placing Kate in their crosshairs. We need Kate, and in this fast-paced installment in the series, it is a hair-raising experiencing, as it often looks like Kate will not survive this time around. I hope that as the series continues that the mega talented Kathleen MacInerney will continue to be the narrator.
Many thanks to Minotaur and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Critically acclaimed as “the master of the genre” (People magazine), Castillo is the recipient of numerous awards including an Edgar Award, the Sue Grafton Memorial Award, a nomination by the International Thriller Writers for Best Hardcover, a nomination for an Audie Award for best mystery audiobook, and an appearance on the Boston Globe’s shortlist for best crime novel. Her books have sold over four million copies worldwide and been translated into fourteen languages.
In addition to writing, Castillo’s other passion is horses. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, three Appaloosas, and two feisty but loveable Blue Heelers. She loves hearing from readers. Contact her at books@lindacastillo.com.
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